An unprecedented modern-day miracle story. Juma Bah can’t and won’t be stopped

Juma Bah’s name is beginning to circulate in football’s more tuned-in circles, and it’s not hard to see why. A Sierra Leonean teenager with just a handful of games under his belt, he’s already been signed by Manchester City, made his mark in Spain with Real Valladolid, and is currently turning heads in Ligue 1 with Lens. 

At 6ft 5, Bah has a frame built for defending—long legs, wiry build, and an imposing presence in duels. But it’s not just his size that makes him stand out. Despite being relatively skinny, he’s surprisingly nimble, allowing him to be more proactive than you might expect from someone of his stature. His tackling is clean and well-timed, often aided by his reach, and he uses his body intelligently to bully and contain forwards. Defensively, he plays with a maturity that defies his age.

His composure on the ball also deserves a mention. While he may not be mistaken for a playmaking centre-back just yet, Bah is calm under pressure and has the technical ability to hit long, accurate passes with minimal effort. There’s still a question mark over his ceiling in possession, but considering how new he is to top-level football, there’s every reason to believe that will improve. Even now, his comfort when being pressed and his eye for a pass make him more than serviceable in buildup play.

When Manchester City signed him, he had only just made the leap from Valladolid’s B team to the senior side. Incredibly, after just one B team appearance, he was promoted and immediately started the next game. He was thrust into the heart of a defence that ended up being the leakiest in the division. It could have broken him. Instead, he stood out and quickly became a fixture in the starting lineup. He impressed with three clearances, three interceptions, and an 80% pass accuracy.

Now on loan at Lens, Bah has slotted into the backline and arguably outperformed City defender Abdukodir Khusanov, the very player he was brought in to replace. Lens fans on social media have taken notice, calling him one of the most exciting young defenders in France. He’s handled the step up with ease, looking like he’s been playing at this level for years.

City’s €6 million investment already looks like smart business. He may not be ready to start regularly at the Etihad just yet, but give him one more season at a good European side and he could be knocking loudly on the door. The raw materials are all there—physical dominance, defensive intelligence, composure under pressure—and the rise so far has been electric. If he keeps going at this rate, we won’t be talking about him as a prospect for long.

In modern-day football, you don’t just move through the ranks this quickly. He has gone from Sierra Leone football to being signed by the best coach in the world - in 6 months. It’s unprecedented and it speaks to the sheer amount of volume that this kid must have. 

Inter Milan, a side who infamously have had limitless success when it comes to bargain signings in the past few years, were supposedly very interested in Bah - another green flag for me. How quickly he has been able to adapt to a new culture, language and way of life - not once, but twice - is not normal by any stretch of the imagination. He doesn’t seem intimidated by the bright lights and if he’s as good as I think he might be, he has very little reason to be.

In my opinion, we could be looking at one of the best defenders in Europe in 5 years time.